Okami Amaterasu
by Shadowpool95
Summary: You've all played the game, I can only assume, but have you ever read it? This is a story following Amaterasu through her adventure in the game Okami. I threw in my own flare, giving Amaterasu knowledge that she could have had, but we just didn't know about it. Okay, that summary kinda sucked... T for language, maybe, and some battles I may over-dramatize.
1. Prologue

**I will praise you for coming this far! 'Least you're giving it a try, right? The prologue contains mostly the dialogue from the game, so I put it and the first chapter up. I just wanted a complete story :) I am taking the time to type up the conversations straight from the game as I go through it (for like the billionth time) If you don't believe me, you can check. I won't bite you if you don't believe me. This story is in third person, mostly following Ammy and her thoughts. So with all that said ('that' being the stuff that most of you didn't read, right?)... here we go, kay?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Okami or anything else that Capcom would sue me for claiming. Anything that sounds like it comes directly from the game probably does.  
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**Prologue**

Long, long ago… A tiny hamlet known as Kamiki lay nestled in a grove of proud and beautiful cherry blossoms. Each and every tree around the quiet burg was honored as a god. However, the village was not without its dark secrets.

To satiate the appetite of Orochi, a fearsome cave-dwelling beast, a young maiden was offered as a sacrifice at the annual festival.

With a body like a mountain and eight heads mounted on necks the size of tree trunks, its blood-red eyes alone were said to curse anyone who gazed into them. No one dared disobey the horrific beast.

When the night of the sacrifice drew near… A mysterious white wolf appeared outside the village. This wolf, its coat as brilliant as snow, was dubbed Shiranui. The wolf kept a watchful eye on anyone who ventured outside the village, and made a habit of patrolling the streets at night. People assumed the wolf to be a familiar of Orochi.

One villager took it upon himself to face the fearsome Shiranui. The warrior Nagi attempted many times to challenge the wolf. But his attempts were thwarted by Shiranui's swift movements.

Before long, the night of the accursed festival had arrived. A white plumed arrow heralded the coming sacrifice. Piercing the sky, the arrow sunk its shaft squarely into the home of Nami, the village's most beautiful maiden.

Nagi, harboring a secret love for Nami, was enraged by this sign. Determined to put an end to Orochi once and for all, Nagi traveled to the beast's cave in place of his beloved.

The Moon Cave, a place as dark as evil itself, served as Orochi's home. As Nagi stood bravely before the entrance… A beast appeared, eyes glowing crimson upon eight thrashing necks.

Orochi stood tall before him, anxious for another sacrifice.

Nagi leapt with incredible grace, swinging his blade valiantly. On and on he sliced, well into the moonless night… But Orochi's hide was like steel. The blade left nary a scratch.

At long last, Nagi, his energy spent from the intense battle, dropped to his knees, fatigued and gasping for breath. He knew he was staring death in the face.

It was then that the wolf appeared. As if to protect Nagi, it stood its ground before Orochi. In the darkness of the cave, the wolf's coat shone brilliantly. Alas, it was Shiranui, the wolf that dwelled outside the village.

Baring its fearsome claws, Shiranui leapt toward Orochi.

Orochi reared its terrifying heads, readying its fangs for battle.

The two beasts struggled wildly, thrashing in the darkness.

Mysterious and terrifying, the spectacle continued. Shiranui summoned gusts of divine wind to counter Orochi's flames.

As Orochi closed in on Shiranui, sharpened claws glistening… A gigantic tree suddenly sprouted forth, shielding the wolf.

Shiranui fought gallantly to gain the upper hand. However… Orochi, protected by a mystical power, was not easily bested.

Shiranui, covered in gashes, majestic coat dyed crimson, stood exhausted before the mighty Orochi. Orochi saw a chance to strike what would be the final blow. But Shiranui refused to give in. With its last ounce of strength, the majestic wolf gazed heavenward and unleashed a mighty howl.

Suddenly, the black clouds overhead dissipated. The light from above glinted off Nagi's sword as a beacon of hope.

Guided by his sword, Nagi, who had been taking shelter in the shadows, stood proudly to face his adversary. Channeling all his strength into his scarred and battered arms, he leapt ferociously toward Orochi, his sword posed high.

The golden sword danced in his hands like a puppet on a string. One by one, Orochi's fearsome heads separated from their owner.

Orochi's broken body collapsed in a lake of its own blood. In that instant, the curse that plagued the villagers was lifted. As the battle subsided, the sun shone once again in the sky.

Shiranui had succumbed to Orochi's poison and struggled to breathe. Nagi scooped the beast into his arms and returned to Kamiki.

When they reached the village, Shiranui was no longer moving. The village elder gently stroked the wolf's head. In response, Shiranui let out a hoarse and pitiful bark… then closed its eyes and drifted off as if into slumber.

Peace had at last returned to Kamiki Village.

In honor of Shiranui's heroic exploits, the villagers erected a shrine and placed a statue of the wolf within it.

Nagi's sword was christened "Tsukuyomi" and placed inside the Moon Cave.

The villagers all looked forward to an age of endless peace…

However, this is not the end of the story… There is more to this tale than most people know. 100 years had passed since Nagi and Shiranui's heroic exploits. It happened so quickly that no one in the village even took notice.

A shadowed figure entered the Moon Cave. His eyes fell upon an object held sacred as the reason for Nippon's ageless peace. "Is this the legendary sword?" He questioned in a tone colored with snide disbelief. "Is this Tsukuyomi, the sword that banished the dreaded Orochi?" He gazed upon it a moment more before gripping Tsukuyomi's hilt. "No… It couldn't be. It's just a legend. Nothing but a fairy tale!"

The shadowy figure pulled the sword out of the ground, holding it before him. It was then that he noticed the red eyes gleaming in the darkness.

Dropping the sword, he ran. Fear shrouded his vision, and he tripped over rubble. He slowly looked up, to find a long, thick neck carrying a humongous head over him.

"O, he who seeks power…" the beast growls, its voice causing the very ground to rumble. "He who has broken my bonds… Speak the words, 'I wish darkness unto the world.' Utter that prayer unto me, and unleash my power."

The figure gazed upon the large creature, fearing for his life. The creature roared, and he ran.

A horrible tragedy suddenly swept over the land.

However, there was one village that seemed to escape the terrible curse. The tiny settlement of Kamiki Village enjoyed the protection of a sacred tree. It is here that the real story begins…


	2. Awakening

**Is anyone reading this still? I sure hope so. Reviews would let me know that you are ^-^ It gets a bit more exciting starting here. Kinda. Maybe? Oh, I'll just let you read.  
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**Disclaimer: Okami? Not mine. This bagel? Defs mine :D  
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**Chapter 1: Awakening**

"How troublesome!" Wood Sprite Sakuya looked around her with sadness in her eyes, her words terse. The small village she had loved was reduced to nothing in the consuming darkness. The sky was swirling with evil, and the world seemed cold and desolate. She had been forced to tuck the whole of Kamiki in one seed pod. "This is just like the ancient prophecy of doom. What has transpired to bring about such calamity? We must act quickly! There is no time to lose!"

Her pink robe flowing over her fair skin, Sakuya ran her fingers over her blue gauzy shoulder wrap. "My power has diminished over the years I've spent protecting this area. I don't have much time left in this world."

She held up a dull looking stone disk about a foot in diameter.

"Amaterasu, now is the time."

These words softly reached the ears of who they were intended. The first in an immeasurable amount of time for one who is encased in stone.

"We have never needed your power more."

_My… power?_ Thoughts came slow to the statue._ But… the power being summoned is… outside myself, not mine… Can't move…_

"Shine your divine light upon this broken and polluted world. Let your heavenly rays become our hope as you guide us all!"

With a sudden surge of energy, the stone wolf felt it. Her body, her very being, returning to flesh. Her divine instrument was hers to control. Okami Amaterasu was, once again, alive.

The wolf yawned and stretched her stiff muscles, her crimson markings a sharp contrast against her white fur. She jumped down from the shrine she was held on and cast her eyes around.

"Ah! Such divine white light! Such beauty and grace! The only one capable of such a wondrous spectacle is none other than our mother and the origin of all that is, Amaterasu!"

Amaterasu pricked her ears and stared at Sakuya. _Who is she, and how does she know my name? _the wolf wondered. _Gods have been forgotten for so long. Was I not hunted and called 'Shiranui'?_

"How delightful to see that the savior whose brave sacrifice sealed away the evil demon so many years ago has not changed one bit."

_Well of course I haven't changed. _The deity's thoughts were empty of spite and instead filled with amusement._ I was encased in __**stone**_.

Amaterasu sat down and continued to look at the young woman levitating in front of her. _She is obviously a wood sprite, but could she possibly be…?_

Sakuya continued to speak, so Amaterasu listened.

"Seeing you emerge after so many years spent as a statue brings happiness to my heart!"

Sakuya began to sniffle.

Amaterasu, growing bored with the conversation, yawned again and laid down to show the sprite so, feeling herself get drowsy and drift towards sleep.

Sakuya didn't say anything for a few moments, calm but irritated with Amaterasu's short attention span. Then…

"Amaterasu… Gaze above you and take in the condition of the sky. Since your untimely departure from our midst, the world has succumbed to devious and vicious beasts. They have ravaged our fine and bountiful country of Nippon…"

_I have not forgotten where I am,_ the white wolf grumbled in her thoughts without moving.

"But never have the circumstances been worse than they are at this very moment."

_Try death by poison,_ Amaterasu suggested silently.

"Please use your powers to banish the darkness and punish those who would do us harm- …hm?"

The wood sprite paused abruptly and Amaterasu was almost tempted to look up.

"Eh? What is this? Has something stolen its way into my robe?"

Sakuya started giggling. Something was crawling its way through her bodice, and it _tickled_.

After a few moments of laughing and squirming on Sakuya's part, a very small, glowing thing popped out of the top of her robe.

"Phew!" the wood sprite sighs, whipping her forehead with her sleeve. "What on earth? You again?"

Almost lazily, Amaterasu glanced towards the commotion, before she jumped to her paws with a startled bark. _A Poncle!_ She thought excitedly,_ but… no. Not the one I know._

The Poncle bounced up and down, as the half-inch high creatures usually do.

"Ow ow ow ow ow!" he cried dramatically towards Sakuya. "Are you nuts? Boy, for a little thing, you sure make a big fuss! I was just trying to make the conversation a bit more interesting, that's all."

The wood sprite looked down at him. "Were you napping in my cloths again, bug?" To Amaterasu, her tone was almost laughably disdainful.

"Bug?" the Poncle repeated, offended. "I told you a thousand times not to call me that! I'm a wandering artist. The name's Issun!" I'll show you just how great I am and it won't be long till you're bowing before my great brush!"

Issun threw a drawing of the wood sprite at Amaterasu's face. She wouldn't admit it out loud, not that she could, but she thought it quite good.

"Well?" he asked, still bouncing, "whaddya think? Even cuter than the real thing, no?"

_Oh praise us,_ the sun goddess thought with exasperation. _We have business to do, little artist._

He leapt around the wolf and onto her muzzle. Amaterasu growled before stopping to look down her nose at him.

"What's with you, furball?" he asked her. "You look kinda down in the dumps. Actually… You look kinda familiar…" Issun thought about it for a moment. "Got it!" he exclaimed. "You look just like that statue of Shiranui."

_No kidding?_ Amaterasu thought dryly. She tossed her head up a fraction of an inch, just enough to unbalance the Poncle, and caught him in her mouth before he could truly fall. Cringing at the taste, she spat him back out on the ground.

"Whoa! Whaddya think you're doin'!?" Issun exclaimed, bouncing with more vigor than before. His normally green glow turned red with indignation. "Are you crazy? A handsome guy like me should never be covered in wolf slobber."

Amaterasu rolled her eyes. _A deity like me should never have such a foul taste in her mouth,_ she retorted silently. But the Poncle wasn't done.

"You'll regret messin' with the great Issun!" He stopped moving long enough to brandish a small sword, the blade slicing through the air in front of the tiny man. "Don't make me use my prized sword Denkomaru against you!" he threatened.

_Issun,_ Amaterasu thought, _you have a toothpick that's barely longer than a strand of my fur. If I-_

Her thoughts were interrupted when a roar echoed through the land, shaking the ground and everything on it. The angry-looking sky swirled with twice the vengeance as before, rocks and debris flying over head.

"Wh-wh-what's that growling sound?" Issun asked Amaterasu, once again lightly bouncing on her muzzle. His shaking voice gave away his fear. "And why's it so dark, anyway?"

Amaterasu turned to the tree sprite. _Well?_ She thought.

Sakuya clasped her hands together. "O, great god Amaterasu…" Cherry blossoms began to swirl around her as she spoke. "I have used up all the power I have to protect Kamiki Village." The blossoms began to glow as they massed around the sprite. "The village lives on. Their spirits lie encased in my fruit. Cut it free and the village will be reborn!"

_Wait, what? _ Amaterasu tilted her head.

Sakuya, encased by the glowing blossoms, began to transform into a mighty leafless tree, her voice fading out. "I trust in you. I know that you will lead us down the right path. Only your awesome power can restore life to the world."

Amaterasu's attention was returned to Issun.

"The tree's returned to normal, _huh_?" he said, a bit disappointedly.

_Men,_ the white wolf thought with irritation.

"That Sakuya girl sure said some weird stuff," he continued. "The villager's spirits are being kept inside the fruit…"

Amaterasu looked up at the tree's thick branches, to a large pulsating fruit, shining with divine light.

"That's the fruit," Issun observed.

_No,_ Amaterasu thought sarcastically.

"That girl said if you cut it down, the village will be restored. But it's awful high up there. If you don't use some kind of special power there's no way you're going to reach it."

The sun goddess flicked her ears. _How about my kind of special power?_ She asked silently, calling upon her celestial brush. Or, rather, trying to. _What the-_ Amaterasu couldn't find her power. It was… simply _gone_.

Issun noticed her tail droop. "This darkness is getting to me, too," he consoled her, not knowing the real problem. "A lot can happen when you're taking a nap," he added jokingly, settling on her head.

Amaterasu looked around. They couldn't leave the small area at the base of the tree; it was surrounded by rocks and an atmosphere of evil. The wolf looked towards the roots of Sakuya's tree.

"You looking for something to cut that fruit down with?" Issun asked.

Amaterasu paused and raised her head, a look that said 'help me now' on her canine face.

She continued looking until she found something: a hole at the base of the tree. It was three times the height of her back and four times as wide as she was.

_Shall we?_ She thought with a quick glance upwards, in the direction of Issun. Without caring if he was ready or not, she padded into the cave.


	3. River of the Heavens

**Don't you all start writing reviews all at once, now. Out of the 18 people who've read this, honestly, couldn't you just spare two seconds to even jot down a smiley face or something? I want to know if my writing is good, and if you are impressed with my fill-in-the-blank type idea. Though, I guess it is a bit early to tell. Still, O'Mahari Oninja No Okami and Spirits and Shadows are my two favorite people right now. At least _someone_ cares :P Er, ok. That wasn't nice. You don't have to review if you don't want to. I guess... Ha, with that spaz session out of the way, here's the next part. Now, don't expect updates _every_ day. I do have some kind of life. Without further adieu, my gift unto you. I know, I know. "Watch it Shadow, you're ego is showing."  
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**Disclaimer: I'm pretty sure that I have never purchased the rights to any video game. I think I would remember something like that. ...probably.  
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**Chapter 2: River of the Heavens**

Emerging from the tunnel, the goddess and the Poncle found themselves in a calm land. The moon was glowing lazily in the sky, lighting the grasses around them as they swayed in the gentle breeze.

"Where are we?" Issun asked in awe, looking around. "It got awfully quiet all of a sudden."

_It's a spirit realm,_ I thought, wishing I could speak out loud. _Sakuya's realm, to be exact. And she wouldn't let anything bad in here if I asked her to._

"I don't remember any place like this in the village," he added, oblivious to the wolf's knowledge. "Well, we better keep our eyes peeled."

Amaterasu gazed around, her eyes straying towards the night-darkened sky. _I miss it,_ she thought to herself. _I wonder where he is._

"Boy, you really look so helpless. You sure you're gonna be ok?"

Amaterasu snaps her jaws in reply before looking around with more purpose. After a few moments of observation, the wolf strides toward a round glowing object.

"Hold on!" Issun said when they got closer, "that's an Origin Mirror!"

_Uh, duh?_ the sun goddess thought. _They had these a hundred years ago._

"They say once your reflection appears on its surface," he continued, "your memories will be saved in the mirror for all eternity!"

Amaterasu rolled her eyes and stepped onto the plate in front of the mirror. It briefly glowed brighter before dimming back to its original state. Gazing into the Mirror's surface at her own reflection, the white wolf sighed. She felt stuck and empty.

"And let me give you a little advice," Issun added. "You should go to the Origin Mirrors often. That way you could always go back if you get stuck. You gotta be prepared, 'specially while you're still learning the ropes!"

_This is going to be a long journey,_ she mused to herself with an inward sigh.

Stepping off of the plate in front of the Mirror, the goddess turned toward a wooden bridge. It had red railings that only came to head-height, and permanent tripod torches on each side. Amaterasu placed her paws carefully on the wood. Her first few paw-falls were cautious before she crossed the rest of the bridge in a lazy lope.

"Look at all those pots just waitin' to be broken!" Issun exclaimed.

On the far side of the bridge, Amaterasu slid to a halt. Ahead was a cliff at least two jump-lengths high with a fence surrounding the top of it. At the base of the cliff were seven clay pots.

_Little thief,_ Amaterasu thought, glancing up towards the Poncle.

"If you bust 'em, there might be something good inside."

_That's usually how it goes,_ the wolf thought as she made her way towards the pots. When she was close enough, Amaterasu darted forward, using her head to shatter the containers.

"Way to go, my furry friend!" Issun cheered. "You can do that anytime you see something you can break."

Amaterasu sighed and continued to break the other six clay pots. _I see a pattern in the making,_ she told herself dryly. She collected the pawful of yen that came out of each and proceeded to make her way around the base of the cliff.

"Whoa, whoa, hold on there, furball."

Issun's words stopped Amaterasu in her tracks. _What now?_ she thought, trying to follow his gaze.

"Get a load of that! That chest looks mighty tempting. Let's go check it out."

The wolf could see it now. A treasure chest of sorts was perched at the top of the cliff. _Little thief, _she repeated.

She gave it a closer look. The fencing around the edge of the cliff had stopped, _And I can get myself up there now!_ Amaterasu thought.

"Getting up that high oughtta be a piece of cake. You know how to wall jump, right?"

Amaterasu listened in mild shock. _He has no idea who I really am,_ she thought with a sniff.

The white wolf ran up to the base of the cliff wall, jumped as high as she could, dug her claws into the dirt and jumped again from there. Landing firmly on all four paws at the top, she looked up smugly at Issun.

"I knew ya could do it," he praised. "They say, 'good luck is found in high places.' So, keep your eyes peeled. We don't wanna miss any treasure!"

_Of course not,_ Amaterasu complied with a touch of sarcasm, spying a few more pots to her left. But first she turned to the treasure chest. _Normally I'd just Power Slash it,_ she thought, _but my loss of power must drive me to more barbaric methods._

The wolf darted towards the chest, using her head to force the chest open. She bounced backwards with a back flip, gracefully landing on her paws. Out of the chest came something that caused her to lick her chops. A small Holy Bone landed at Amaterasu's paws.

She was about to snap it up, when Issun bounced on her head.

"Hey, furball! Don't eat that now, it's wasteful. It'll come in handy later, when you need energy!"

Amaterasu snorted in displeasure. _A goddess taking commands from an artist,_ she grumbled irritably. But she put it away non-the-less.

The white wolf ran around the cliff top, smashing the clay pots, before turning towards another bridge. But this one was broken.

"Looks like the bridge is out," Issun observed.

_If I still had my powers, I could fix it!_ Amaterasu thought.

"This shouldn't be so hard, um… Amaterasu, was it? That's kinda long. Mind if I call ya 'Ammy'?"

_A nick name?_ Amaterasu mused. _I suppose so._

Unaware of her debatable compliance, Issun continued. "Listen, Ammy… ever heard of the spirits of the brush?"

_I _am_ the spirit of the brush,_ she said to herself, but waited patiently, wanting to see what this traveling artist knew.

"Good brushwork has its own soul, 'least that's what they say. Just watch. It'd take all day to explain… A picture's worth a thousand words, right?"

_Ok, small one, show me what you can do,_ the sun goddess silently goaded.

Issun looked at the bridge a moment before waving his brush in the air. It left levitating streaks of ink in front of him before disappearing. The bridge, in a subtle flash of divine light, was mended before their eyes.

"Nice, huh?" Issun gloated. "Just a little technique I've mastered called Rejuvenation. It's one of many brush techniques that use divine power."

_You don't say?_ Amaterasu thought dryly.

"It's a brush god power that can restore broken or missing things. I've practiced really hard just to master this one technique. But there are 13! Each one is a power of one of the 13 brush gods. Originally, all 13 were a single powerful deity."

_One that the people dubbed 'Shiranui' and feared as an enemy,_ Amaterasu countered silently. Her tone was merely curious. This Poncle knew so much, yet couldn't he see her markings, and know she to be the 'powerful deity' he spoke of?

"When the deity died, its power was split into 13 separate gods. The gods now dwell within objects all around us, but… God or no god, how could anyone have the power to master all 13!?"

_Guess not,_ the goddess thought.

She padded over this bridge and onto a soft, sandy path. She began to follow the path, but paused when Issun suddenly leapt off of her head, glowing yellow with excitement. The Poncle was bouncing near a large engraved stone.

"River of the Heavens," he read. "The river of the Heavens? They mean the fabled stardust river? But I sure don't see anything like that around here. It couldn't be that little puddle over there, could it?"

Amaterasu smashed two pots next to her, then barked to get Issun's attention. _Come now, Issun,_ she thought, _we can't go that way. But I sense good fortune if we go up this rise._

The Poncle returned to his perch on her head as the wolf passed under an arch, heading up a steep hill.

"Wow! Look at those stars twinkle!"

The wolf looked up at the sky and the bright stars that hung there.

"I haven't seen such a beautiful nighttime sky in ages," Issun told her. "Hey, look! Are those stars forming a pattern, or is it just me?"

Looking harder, Amaterasu saw it, too. _A dragon,_ she thought. _My dragon?_

"Hmm… There's one missing… Guess I'll just have to draw the missing star!"

Issun brought his brush up once more, holding it in the air and making an ink dot. The dot quickly disappeared in a tiny cloud of smoke.

"Looks like I'm just not ready to draw missing stars," he said ruefully. "I sure spent a lot of time practicing that," he mumbled.

Amaterasu, trying not to laugh, looked up and moved her tail, drawing a dot where the missing star should go in her mind's eye.

The star appeared, and in a rush of sound and light, ad long-bodied Chinese dragon took form and spiraled down from the sky. A section of his lower body was drawn onto a scroll, and in his four clawed paws he held four orbs of different colors; green, red, purple and yellow. His scales were of the purest white, and crimson marks adorned his head and arms.

"Ah… Why, if it isn't mother Amaterasu," the dragon rumbled, his voice echoing around the divine plane they found themselves in.

_Greetings, Yomigami,_ Amaterasu replied, knowing her voice would be heard by him.

"I apologize for not contacting you sooner during these long years," the dragon fretted. "Having never forgotten you, I, Yomigami, god of restoration, have eagerly awaited this day when we could again meet."

_All is forgiven,_ Amaterasu told him kindly. _But you must tell me what happened when I perished._

"While you were away, the 13 spirits of the brush that you once possessed, including myself, have been scattered across the land of men, and now lie in disarray. I became a constellation and managed to survive until now. The time has come for you to seek out and reunite all the techniques."

_How do I go about doing that?_ The wolf asked. _Our way is blocked and I am no longer what I once was._

"Your power is what is needed to restore the dried riverbed of the heavens and renew the flow of stardust."

With that farewell, Yomigami transformed his being into the orb that represented the power of Rejuvenation, returning it to Amaterasu's capable hands.

"Wow. That was Yomigami, god of Rejuvenation," Issun declared. "Wait, so you have the power of Rejuvenation now!? Can you really use it to restore the River of the Heavens?"

_Yes, yes, and yes,_ Amaterasu thought smugly.

"That would mean that you were as good with a brush as yours truly!"

_Wait, what?_

"Nah… couldn't be. Who else could master this incredible god technique!?"

Amaterasu stifled a growl, taking out her frustration on a few more clay pots. _I'll show you, you little insect,_ she vowed.

The white wolf descended the hill and turned towards the dried bed of the River of the Heavens.

"Wonder if drawing some stardust would get the river flowing again?" Issun mused.

_That's the plan,_ Amaterasu silently agreed, approaching the bank.

"Nah…" The Poncle amended, answering himself. "It's one thing to fix a bridge, but fixing a starry river? There's no way you could pull off a stunt like that!"

_Is that a challenge? _Amaterasu retorted keenly, waving her tail.

Issun , sitting on her head, wondered what they were going to do now.

Amaterasu waved her tail, filling in her mind's eye where the river was supposed to be. In an instantaneous flash of divine light, the river was restored, once again flowing with glittering stardust.

"Whoa!" Issun exclaimed, leaping up and down, "A river of stardust! So this really must be the River of the Heavens. But what I really want to know is who the heck drew the darn thing!"

_So narrow minded,_ Amaterasu thought, shaking her head slightly. With little enthusiasm, the wolf leapt into the star river and began swimming to the other side.


	4. The Statue of Nagi

**Yay! Reviews makeh me happy :3 Thanks guys. Here's another chapter. Um, updates after this may be scattered and distanced from one another, due to the fact that the freakin' military has decided that we have two weeks to move out XP Stupid army. But I'll try to get one or two more updates in before my wii gets packed up, then a few during the move, depending on how much time I get on the internet... hm...  
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**Disclaimer: SQUEE-squeek! (In rat that means: I don't own Okami)  
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**Chapter 3: The Statue of Nagi**

On the opposite bank, Amaterasu stopped to shake the stardust off of her pelt and looked around. On this side of the river, there was only a pawful of large boulders, a chest, and a glowing decorative arch.

Issun's eyes were trained on the chest as Amaterasu padded forward. It was in the middle of the small clearing, and the wolf knew that in the Ponicle's eyes, it was begging to be opened. She took a half a step back before darting towards it, bashing it open. She must admit, at least to herself, that the action was quite enjoyable.

When the chest popped open, a pouch-like object popped out. Amaterasu recognized it immediately.

"Look what you found, furball!" Issun exclaimed, bouncing up and down in excitement.

_An Astral Pouch? _The goddess replied silently, almost amused.

"This Astral Pouch here's amazing. It can swallow up lots of food. Then when it's full, it can revive its owner if he or she dies!"

_Your vast knowledge overwhelms me, _Amaterasu groaned inwardly.

"Let's start feeding it with whatever food we can find around here," Issun continued.

The wolf paused for a minute. _What are you insinuating, bug? I don't need an Astral Pouch to help me._ Though in contradiction to her words, the goddess moved towards the clay pots surrounding the arch and made quick work of them, producing a few apples, oranges and peaches.

"Nice one!" the Poncle praised. "Now onward, furball!"

_As you wish. _Amaterasu quickly loped towards the arch, passing through it without a second thought.

Once through, she didn't even pause before she was sprinting up the dirt path. _I know where I am,_ she thought excitedly.

The goddess didn't stop as the path turned to stone as it wound its way up the mountain, around trees, and over a large mountain stream.

After following the path in silence for a while, Amaterasu barked and slowed her pace, bringing herself and the Poncle to the mouth of a cave. The white wolf led them through it without hesitation. Nothing would hurt them here.

As they made their way deeper into the cave, wooden bars fell to block the cave mouth behind them, but neither creature spared that a thought.

"Is this…" Issun's voice trailed off in awe.

The sun goddess tuned out the Poncle's words as she padded forward, her eyes on the large statue in the center of the cave. _Nagi,_ she thought, _what trials have befallen you? _Her gaze was sorrowful as she padded forward; the shrine was in ruins. Moss desecrated the surface, and the hero's sword was broken off at the hilt, the blade completely missing.

Amaterasu moved her tail in a precise way, forming in her mind's eye the sword with her celestial powers. _There,_ she said to herself. _Not much, but it's all I can do, mighty warrior._

As the stone statue flashed, the former glory was restored to the monument as the sword seemed to fix itself of its own accord. But Amaterasu and Issun knew better.

"That really _was_ your brushwork all this time!" the Poncle exclaimed.

_Do you only know extremes? _Amaterasu demanded at his loudly spoken words.

"How'd you get so good?" Issun asked. "Exactly who are you, anyway?" Without waiting for an answer, he continued. "Hey, there's another constellation!"

His words caused Amaterasu to tear her gaze from the statue and look towards the starry night sky above it.

"This one looks like a…" Issun mused, tilting his head to look at it from different angles.

_A rat!_ Amaterasu thought excitedly.

She used her tail and celestial powers to draw in the missing star. The constellation came to form a white rat with crimson marks covering his body. He leapt down from the sky and drew a large sword from a red sheath at his side, twisting around in many neatly executed fluid movements, causing the sword to arch through and slice the air around him. The surroundings evaporated into the golden clouded light of the celestial plains.

_Tachigami!_ the sun goddess exclaimed, bounding forward to sit in front of the small god. The white rat perched on the hilt of his sword, the point facing downward.

"Well, well, well…" he squeaked, "If it isn't mother Amaterasu."

_I am glad to see you are well, sword-master,_ Amaterasu told him.

"It has been a long time," Tachigami told her as a way of apology, "but with all these monsters around, the only place I could hide was in this shrine dedicated to ancient heroes."

Amaterasu gazed up at him. _A noble act it was, Tachi. You did right by waiting for me._

"If there is anything I can do to assist you in your endeavors," the god added, "I'm at your service. Make good use of this sword, as it was designed to conquer evil."

Tachigami transformed himself into the orb that represented his power of Power Slash and returned his strength to Amaterasu. With his disappearance went the illusion of the Celestial plain, and Amaterasu and Issun found themselves back in the cave.

"Hey, that was the god, Tachigami, master of the Power Slash technique," Issun stated, a contemplative tone in his voice.

_Please enlighten me on where you get your information from, so I may share with you its wealth, _the sun goddess thought dryly.

Ever oblivious, the Poncle plowed on. "Wait a minute. If you're getting all these powers… Then you're just like that Shiranui!"

_Give this guy a medal- Wait. Like?_

"You know, the wolf who fought and died alongside the great Nagi."

_You are irritating me, thief._

"When Shiranui died, the wolf's power was split into the 13 brush gods." Issun's voice got a tad bit more shrill. "This is crazy. Shiranui and Nagi?" He was bouncing up and down in excitement. "It's just like the legend."

_Please, someone slap him._

"Well, anyway I've never seen this Power Slash technique myself." He gazed around, then bounced up with extra pep. "How 'bout showing your stuff off on that boulder over there? Lemme see you slice it in half by drawing a single line!" He was practically exploding with excitement.

_I don't condone this senseless power-show,_ Amaterasu silently informed him. But the white wolf faced the boulder any way, and with one horizontal slash of her tail, the boulder was sliced in two, the top half sliding off onto the ground with a thud.

"Wow!"

Amaterasu couldn't smother the spark of pride that ignited in her chest. _Chill out before you make a mess,_ she laughed to herself.

"I didn't think you had it in ya, furball! I'm not even in the same league as you! Guess I really overestimated myself."

_Well, it doesn't seem like humility is your strongest quality…_

… … "Hey, furball… Er… I mean, Amaterasu… I've made up my mind."

Amaterasu couldn't help but smirk at Issun's confusion, but his words had her worried. _Made up your mind about what…?_

"If you're Shiranui reborn," he continued, "then that means you can master all 13 techniques, right?"

_Riigghhtt…_ Amaterasu answered, even though she knew that he couldn't hear her.

"In that case, I'll tag along until I'm as good as you! Lucky you!"

_Yeah, lucky me!? _ Amaterasu whined as she shook her head, trying to get the Poncle out of her fur. But he wouldn't budge.

"Heh heh…" he laughed, as if she had just cracked the funniest joke in the world. "It's no use tryin' to change my mind. There's no stoping me once I've made a decision!"

_Somebody, please, kill me now._

"But enough about me!" Issun abruptly changed the subject. "Now that you've mastered the Power Slash, you can cut down that thing Sakuya was talking about. Let's go back and give it a shot!"

Amaterasu retraced her steps toward the entrance, now exit, of the cave, not even stopping when the thick wooden poles barred her way out. She whipped her tail to the side, just like she did with the boulder, and the logs cut clean in half, falling out of her way.

In a showy exit, she leapt over the logs and darted down the path at a full sprint. It was a bad idea, because stopping when you're running that fast doesn't happen on a dime. At the base of the small slope, a ring of dark magic encased the two, caging them in with a few-

_Imps!_ Amaterasu instantly recognized them as she tried to stop, almost causing Issun to topple off of her head. She swiftly dropped into a defensive crouch, spitting out deep growls at the creatures.

"What the!?" Issun snapped, startled as he gripped onto Amaterasu's fur for dear life. "Where'd they come from!?"

_I don't know,_ the white wolf's growls deepened, _ but I'm sending them back!_

"Ha, whatever. Draw first, ask questions later, right? You know the Divine Instrument you have one your back? Use it!"

_Gladly. Taste my strength, foul creatures!_

Amaterasu leapt at the closest imp, using her powers to swing the disk at it. It forced the thing onto its back, and the color was drained from it, leaving it dazed and unable to move.

"Look, Ammy!" Issun exclaimed in her ear. "Once you caught 'em off guard and turned 'em black and white, they're easy prey for your brush, no matter how nasty they are! Grab your brush and give them a Power Slash!"

Amaterasu snarled and whipped her tail to the side, focusing on the stunned imp. It sliced the thing in half. It's top and bottom parts spun in the air slowly, before disappearing, leaving behind shoot of wildflowers.

The sun goddess snorted in satisfaction, but her gloating was cut short as the other imp landed a lucky hit on her flank. The wolf yelped and whipped around, teeth bared.

She swung her Divine Instrument at it, then was forced to leap away as the creature pulled out a crudely made bamboo flute. It sucked in a great deal of air before blowing it out at Amaterasu, the dark magic infused with the air and music forming a force that could actually hurt the goddess. That is, if it could catch her.

She darted around the imp until she was standing behind it. She swung the disk at it again, and again, until its body rose into the air before falling back down to earth, defeated. It too disappeared into a bunch of wildflowers.

Amaterasu snarled and looked around, waiting for more foes to come forward, but there was none. The dark barrier dissolved and the sounds and sights of Sakuya's spirit realm were as they were before.


	5. Kamiki Village

**Moving date is moving closer! I have tons of things to do this weekend, and the packers are coming Monday, so bye bye wii :'( 'Least until I get to where I'm going. Anyways, long story short, I stole away some time to finish this up for you guys, but this will be the last update for at least two weeks... Unless I cheat and watch chuggaaconroy's playthrough vids... He go through the dialogue kinda fast... but what else is a pause button for? Maybe I'll do that, seeing as I have a three day car ride and my mom's phone to use as a hotspot...  
**

**Oh, and I received a question about **Deamon Fangs**. I thought more than just one of you may be wondering about them, so I decided to answer here. When I first played through, (unless i got them by accident) I wasn't too concerned about getting Demon Fangs. That is, until I spied a certain holy artifact possessed by Kiba. That sparked my interest and made me try harder. As far as this story goes (for it is a story in the fact that it is how I view things) I figured that Amaterasu would be more concerned about saving Nippon than collecting Demon Fangs. Y'know, until Issun spots something he fancies :) But if my readers would like to see me write in some floral finishers now instead of later, I can accommodate.  
**

**Disclaimer: I own a copy of the awesome game Okami, but the rights are not in my possession. **_That's phase two** }:)  
**_

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**Chapter 4: Kamiki Village**

The white wolf snorted again and shook out her fur. She glanced around once more before trotting down the path once more, towards the exit tunnel of this spirit realm.

_Wasn't so bad,_ she thought to herself. _But then again, those were just green imps. But they seemed tougher than I remember. I hope I'm not losing my edge, _she fretted.

Shrugging off the thought, Amaterasu concentrated on the task at hand. Or paw, as it were. It wasn't long before she was stopped again by the same force as before. Two more green imps appeared, blocking her path.

This time, Issun didn't offer any advice, assuming that the sun goddess could handle things. The wolf growled at the imps and instantly jumped at them, dispatching them in much the same way that she had before. This time, she managed not to get hit. _See?_ she told herself, _ I just need to get back in the swing of things._

When they were both dead, she cautiously sniffed the items they had dropped.

_Chinese cabbage? _ she mused. _And a potato. Do imps even eat real food?_

In no time, the wolf was paddling through the River of the Heavens and down the cliff, skidding to a halt by the origin mirror. Amaterasu gazed in it briefly, long enough for the device to flare up and calm back down. She turned to the stone archway that lead out, back to where Kamiki village used to be.

_Ready?_ she laughably asked Issun before sliding through the archway.

The other side was just as it was before; dark, angry and uninviting. Ignoring the howling of the dark magic-induced wind, Amaterasu backed away from the tree to gaze up at the large fruit hanging off of one of Sakuya's branches. It wriggled on its stem of its own accord. The wolf tilted her head.

_Well, here goes nothing,_ she sighed. Her tail jerked to the side with the power of the celestials, her concentration on the seed's stem, and the fruit fell.

A blinding light flashed, and a wave of power led the restoration of the hamlet. It pushed out the darkness, forcing it away to who knows where. Kamiki was reborn in a whirl of blossoms and brightness.

"Wow! The village has been restored!" Issun's voice was colored in equal parts disbelief and awe. "Sakuya came through big time! She really was protecting the village!"

Amaterasu, having harbored doubt of her own, agreed. _We underestimated her power, Issun,_ she told the Poncle.

"But I sure wish I coulda spent some more time in her kimono," Issun continued, "if ya know what I mean! Heh heh heh heh heh!"

_You're ruining the moment,_ the sun goddess thought, trying to hide her mild amusement.

Issun brought an abrupt change in topic agin, getting back _on_ topic. "But seriously, with monsters runnin' around and all… the village could still be in danger. Let's go see how they're all doing down there."

Amaterasu huffed in agreement and headed down the slope to the village. The atmosphere around them filtered with an unusual hue. The wolf sniffed the air, suspicious. It _smelled_ like Kamiki. But something was-

"What in the world?" Issun's voice brought Ammy out of her thoughts. Where the path branched off, there was a perfectly life-sized stone statue of a man.

"I don't remember there being a statue here…" the Poncle told her. "Well, whatever. Let's go talk to the villagers!"

Rolling her eyes, Amaterasu turned down the path that would bring her to the main part of the village. The wolf rolled her shoulders as the fur along her spine pricked at the eerie quiet. This wasn't the Kamiki she remembered.

She padded across a plowed garden plot, stopping next to another stone figure.

"Hey, there's a statue here, too…" Issun observed. His voice held a bit more uncertainty. "It's like the villagers have turned to stone or something…"

A loud roar cut him off, vibrating through the very ground. Amaterasu felt it through her paws and chest at the same time that it rang through her ears.

Issun began to jump up and down once more in panic. "Not again!?" he exclaimed. "That's not one of those smaller monsters that're lurking about."

Amaterasu raised her head, looking around. _Definitely not,_ she agreed to his obvious observation.

"A roar like that's gotta belong to somethin' much bigger. Let's hurry up and find somebody with a pulse around here!"

The wolf glanced upwards toward the Poncle, not able to cover the amused glint in her eyes, even in the current situation. _Scaredy cat,_ she taunted silently. But she shifted her gaze and trotted off to another human-looking shape anyways.

"No good." Issun said as they moved closer. "This one's not movin'. Everyone was perfectly fine just a few hours ago! There's definitely something strange goin' on around here."

_Once again, your powers of observation frighten me. _

"The village is back," Issun continued, "but what's up with this dark sky? Maybe it's dark outside the village, too!? Let's find some high ground so we can take a look!"

_Yes, boss,_ the wolf thought dryly, turning around to retrace her steps. Back up to the fork in the road, taking the path they haven't been down yet. Or up, as it were.

This path took them to a dry pond and a wooden deck that over looked the village and Sakuya's tree.

_Sure looks unhealthy,_ Amaterasu observed as she slowly padded across the deck.

"This is bad…" Issun summed up, his words mirroring Ammy's thought's. They both gazed up at the black sky. "The sun's not even shining."

_Sun? _Amaterasu pricked her ears.

"It's as black as night as far as the eye can see," Issun fretted. "And not a single villager can move a muscle…"

The white wolf tilted her head. The sky looked empty. Desolate. The sun was definitely missing. _Do I have the power to put it back?_ She pondered. _Or maybe I don't have my power because it isn't back?_

"Is this some kind of curse?" Issun asked out loud. Amaterasu wasn't sure if he was talking to her or not. Was he still expecting her to answer? "Did a monster do this?"

_What monster _alive_ would have this kind of power…?_ The goddess tried not to dwell on the word 'alive'.

"It's not going to stay like this forever, is it? If only the sun were out to light our way…" Issun trailed off, seeming to ponder something. He suddenly brightened up again. "If you could draw a circle in the sky, we'd have ourselves a sun!"

_That easy, huh? _Amaterasu snorted, looking away.

"But I guess that'd be impossible, even for a god like you."

_Im- excuse me!?_

"Maybe we should seek out another brush god for help."

Amaterasu shook he head slightly in indignation, her muzzle beginning to tense in a snarl.

"Of course," Issun went on, "if you had that kind of power from the start, that'd be a different story…"

_I'll show you, thief, _Amaterasu growled. She looked back up at the dark sky, pulled at her diminished power, and moved her tail in a wide, deliberate circle. The brush-stroke was copied into the sky and instantly shone like a thousand stars before forming the sun. Its rays touched the wolf's fur briefly before receding back into the now light-blue sky.

"Wh-wh-what the!?" Issun was speechless.

Amaterasu sat down smugly. _Problem, artist?_

The Poncle silently bounced on her head for a second, thinking. Finally he said out loud, "Hm… come to think of it, your name _is_ Amaterasu!"

The wolf felt like strangling the creature.

"That's the name of the sun god!"

_Goddess._

"So, it'd follow that you had the Sunrise technique from the start. With it, you could even turn night into day… Wow! You're no run-of-the-mill god, that's for sure!"

_Nice work, detective._

"The flowing brush is like music from the heavens. That's a line from one of my grandfather's poems. He felt a skilled artist was like a musician of shape and color. Since you're such a great artist yourself, why don't we name your brush work after that poem of his? It's called Celestial Brush!"

Amaterasu felt like pounding her head against something hard, but she stayed still and listened to Issun.

"After all," he continued, "your brush did bring out the sun! Well Ammy… Let's go back to the village! We gotta see if the villagers are back to normal now."

A gruff, wispy voice behind them caused Amaterasu to flinch and turn her head around.

"Hm? Who are you?"

The goddess turned her who body to face the old man who addressed her.

Issun moved so he could whisper into her ear. "That's Mr. Orange, the village elder."

"A white wolf!?" Mr. Orange gasped, "Not the one who fought that terrible creature with Nagi!? You couldn't possibly be the legendary Shiranui!"

_The very one, _Amaterasu thought, boredom dancing around the edges of her mind.

"No, it can't be… That story is 100 years old. Still, you look a lot like that statue of Shiranui."

Amaterasu yawned, growing tired of the old man's observations.

"On the other hand, you don't look quite as smart…

Amaterasu jerked her head up in shock, then crouched down in an obvious attack position. _What did you say to me, elder?_

"Wh-wh-whoa!" Mr. Orange threw his arms up in front of him. "No need to growl like that. Can you really understand what I'm saying?" He didn't seem apologetic in the least. "I'm not one to mince words. I just state the facts."

_Old age has addled your brain._

A dark wind suddenly distracted the two from their standoff.

Three green imps, perched atop a clif on the mountain side, jumped down, moving towards the small group.

Mr. Orange shivered and rubbed his head. "Hm? What's this sudden chill down my spine?"

"Here they come, furball…" Issun warned.

_And here they'll go,_ Amaterasu growled, her aggression now switched toward the actual threat.

Issun moved to the top of her nose. "Those are the monsters that've been plaguing these lands. They sneak into villages and cause all sorts of trouble! Step aside furball, this is a job for my trusty sword, Denkomaru!"

The Poncle swiped his toothpick of a sword through the air a few times as the lesser imps landed on the deck behind the old man. Amaterasu jumped forward, grabbing Mr. Orange by his shirt, and swinging him away from the danger. She planted herself in front of the threat with a growl that passed on her message where words failed her. _Today, you die._

Amaterasu whipped her tail, using Power Slash to cut down the health of all three imps at once. They staggered, disorientated and confused, for only a moment, but by that time the wolf was already on their other side. She snarled a taunt at them, and two bought into it, sucking in air to use their instrumental weapons. The third, however, began to creep towards her, monkey like.

Amaterasu looked once between the three imps before crouching down and jumping into the air, gracefully sailing over her opponents and dodging all three attacks at once. She touched down behind them and, pivoting around, used her Divine Instrument to kill off one of them, before backing off to avoid retaliation. She circled around the other two as they circled her, and without any warning, Amaterasu charged in and swung her disk around, killing another imp.

The last one turned around, smacked its butt, taunting her. The wolf growled and got in two hits before the imp jumped back. It sucked in air and prepared its flute-like weapon, but it never got the chance to exhale before Amaterasu used Power Slash again to cleave it in half.

As the last imp disappeared, a swirl of pure power circled around the dried pond, restoring it to its former, humble glory. The goddess felt herself briefly flood with a unbridled, warm feeling.

* * *

**So I'll try ****chuggaaconroy's** **videos, but if I feel like it hurts my writing quality, I probably won't post it. You guys have been awesome with the reviews, and those alone make me want to try it :3 **


	6. The New Kamiki

**I finally got time to work on this! Okay, no. I've had plenty of time to work on this. We got to the new house Monday, and I finished unpacking Friday. Saturday and Sunday I wen to the barn to hang with my horse, Cheyenne. I haven't seen her in over a year, and she remembered me! :D I am so happy. But since I haven't been riding in over a year, I'm a bit out of practice and my muscles are stiff :S Lol, so long story short, I stayed home today so I thought I should write another chapter or two while I'm laying in bed like a bum. Y'know, before my readers hunt me down and threaten me.  
**

**Seriously though, guys, thanks for all the reviews! I come on here to put up a new chapter, and what do ya know, 21 reviews! I was ecstatic! I never thought this would be a good idea, let alone 21 people taking the time to review, and Ammy's not even out of Kamiki yet! Hang in there guys, you've given me the will to write more! ^-^  
**

**Oh, and if anyone has a better idea for the title of this chapter, please tell me! I had a total brain block... XP  
**

**Disclaimer: I own a black quarter horse/paint mare that is a total bitch to everyone but me X) But I don't own Okami.  
**

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**Chapter 5: The New Kamiki  
**

Amaterasu looked around to make sure the threat was completely gone.

"Wow! You get really aggressive when you're mad, don't ya?" Issun was bouncing on Ammy's head in excitement.

_I do try,_ the wolf informed him with a smug sniff.

Issun, forever unaware of Amaterasu's voice, went on. "Hey, you got yourself some Praise. And look! See how that dried up spring began flowing again?"

_Both of your observations are hard to miss, _Amaterasu scoffed._ Nice to change things up once in a while, huh?_

"That's because," Issun explained, "ridding an area of monsters restores the gods' power to the land. People call it Divine Intervention. The more you restore the land to its natural beauty, the more Praise you'll get. It's the source of your power."

Amaterasu looked around, trying to amuse herself with something. _Get on with it, Issun._

And he did, saying something that surprised the goddess.

"Few people believe in gods these days, and that may weaken you, but if you try real hard, your true power just might shine through!"

_You really believe that? _Amaterasu wondered, looking up at him.

"But boy, there's sure been a lotta monsters around lately. And that Mr. Orange you tossed around up on the sacred deck…"

_Oops._

"Looks like he thinks you're a regular wolf. Seems the gods have grown so weak people can't see them anymore."

_A lot has changed, that's for sure, _Amaterasu sighed.

Issun grumbled to himself, and the goddess pricked her ears at the few words she could make out.

"Oh, uh…" the Poncle stuttered. "Anyway, I'll show you around the village. I have a feeling we're in for an epic adventure! This should be fun, furball!"

_Yeah,_ Amaterasu thought, _fun. Can't wait._

Along with the newly restored spring, a shining treasure chest lay in front of them. Instead of smashing it like she had before, the goddess used Power Slash with a swipe of her tail to crack it open. It produced a bag of seeds.

"Why you little devil!" Issun exclaimed.

_Little?_

"Look at this sweet grub you found!"

_Eww. Where are your powers of observation now?_

"Hey, wait… This is animal food!"

Amaterasu rolled her eyes. _There you go._

"Still, we could save it to give to animals. Let's use it when we try to approach animals later."

_Now there's an idea…_

"Something good might come outta using it the right way! I know gods aren't supposed to use creatures in this manner… But, what the heck! Let's make an exception thins time!"

Amaterasu rolled her eyes again as she padded forward, intent on going down to the village, only to stop short when she almost steps on a small flock of sparrows. The white wolf backs up a pace, her muzzle tensed in a frown. The poor birds looked half starved, like there wasn't enough food around. Although maybe that was the case. Those imps couldn't have been kind to the animals around here.

Amaterasu grabbed the seed bag and offered it to the flock of birds, who instantly moved towards her, eager to get some food. The goddess watched the sparrows eat, a small smile gracing her muzzle. It was like they were well away from the troubles of the actual world. Like they had a privet corner where no bad could lurk all to themselves. But the moment ended when the birds ate their fill and flew off, leaving Amaterasu with a familiar, brief flush of warmth.

_More Praise, _the wolf thought. _I'll get back to full strength. I just must be patient._

She continued down the path, back to the fork in the road, where Mr. Orange was lying, obviously unconscious.

_Oops,_ the goddess repeated sheepishly. She cautiously padded towards the old man and sniffed him.

"Ah…" he groaned. "Great Shiranui… Oh no…"

The goddess sighed and left him, turning towards the other man in the clearing at the branching of the paths.

"Ah… I feel it. I sense it. Foul beasts dwell in this place!" Behind his helmet, the man's voice sounded echoy. Amaterasu tilted her head up at him.

"Concentrate," he continued, "Look hard. You see. Right behind you now…"

The goddess leapt around, earning herself a face-to-face encounter with three more green imps. She snarled and leapt at them, wasting no time in swinging her divine instrument towards them rapidly to dispatch all three of the lesser imps simultaneously. She snorted, annoyed with these interruptions.

When they disappeared, the white wolf turned back to the man.

He was looking at her, an excited air surrounding him. "Humans are not witness to such battles, but I saw it! The fighting went on for exactly 9 seconds! Hmm… You fight well." The tone of his voice became contemplative. "I have chosen the path of Buddah, but in you I sense another power. And I see the path you have chosen is also a path of truth."

Amaterasu felt a flash of warmth as she dipped her head to the Buddah. She then turned around and continued her way down to the village.

The first thing she noticed was the village itself was once again full of life. The people who lived in Kamiki were walking around and going about their business.

But walking down the path, Amaterasu realized that the life was only visible on the surface. Kamiki's beautiful trees were standing dormant all throughout the village. The goddess walked up to the trunk of one of the bare trees and sniffed it, wishing she could do something. She attempted in vain to bloom the tree, but she knew it wouldn't work before she was done, and the ink in her mind's eye flowed away.

_This is less than helpful,_ she thought irritably.

Continuing through Kamiki, the wolf placed a paw on the wooden bridge that arched over the small river that flowed through the village. But she stopped when quietly spat curses reached her ears. She turned her head towards the grumbling, then let the rest of her body follow as she padded towards the source of the noise of irritation.

She found an elder lady washing clothes in a bucket, scrubbing them vigorously against a scrub board. It wasn't too long before she noticed Amaterasu approach her. Judging by the orange sitting on top of her head and her age, this had to be Mr. Orange's wife.

"A white wolf!" Mrs. Orange exclaimed, "Now that's a rare sight. Did you come down from the mountains just to play with us?"

_She isn't scared of me…_ the goddess mused.

"Well you'd better be careful, dear," continued the elder in a kind manner. "Lately, some monsters have been attacking the villagers."

"Do you even know who you're talking to, gramma?" Issun exclaimed, taking up his usual activity of bouncing on Ammy's head.

_Oh boy,_ the wolf thought, trying to look at the little artist.

"This here is Shiranui reborn!" he exclaimed in a proud manner. "The wolf and I have it covered. Those monsters are history!"

_The wolf? _Amaterasu thought grudgingly. _And how much help have you been?_

But of course, her words went unheard.

Mrs. Orange chuckled quietly. "This one certainly resembles Shiranui, especially the nose. Hmm… Well, I'd better get back to my work," she mumbled.

_Well that doesn't sound like she's happy. _Amaterasu tilted her head and barked to get the old lady's attention.

"Here to listen to the ramblings of an old woman, are you?" the elder inquired.

_I'm here to help,_ Amaterasu answered silently. But the pricking of her ears must have urged the white-haired human on.

"Well, I was doing the laundry," she said, noticeably irritated, "but when it was ready to dry, I noticed my drying pole was gone. Oh, whatever shall I do? Where did the darn pole go? How could something important like that just disappear?"

_I can fix that,_ the goddess thought kindly towards the old woman.

Issun was silent for a heartbeat before putting his take on the ordeal out for all, namely Ammy, to hear. "… … Hm… She's missing something that should be there, is she?"

_You heard her too,_ the Amaterasu sighed.

"You'd better help her out, furball!" the artist exclaimed.

_On it._ The white wolf moved towards the two parallel forked sticks that were sticking vertically out of the ground. They were obviously the supports for the drying pole, but nothing was between them. With a swish of her tail, the goddess restored the drying pole to all its former humble glory.

"A new drying pole!?" the old woman said in surprise. "Oh my! Where did that come from!? The gods must have answered my prayers. How wonderful!"

Amaterasu smiled a wolfish smile, her tongue lolling out of her maw. _In a more direct way than you think, _she told her.

"Time to dry the laundry!" The elder bustled around, hanging the clothes on the new pole. She looked happy, but still slightly irritated.

Amaterasu stepped closer to Mrs. Orange and tilted her head again.

"Well," Mrs. Orange told the wolf, "I'm glad I was able to hang my laundry, but… The sun seems to be so far away these days. Maybe it doesn't like all those monsters that are lurking about?"

_Less than you know,_ Amaterasu sighed, looking up at the sky.

Mrs. Orange clasped her hands and rested her head on them. "If only it would shine closer, my laundry would dry in a second. My laundry would dry in a jiffy if the sun would just shine closer."

"You heard the lady," Issun said, almost like he was enjoying this, "she wants the sun! Time to use you know what!"

_Imagine that, little thief; helping reaps more benefits than thievery._ The goddess gazed up at him as much as she could with him on the top of her head before swinging her gaze back to the sky. She tapped into the celestial brush and moved her tail in a circle, painting a bright sun where it should be.

"My word!" Mrs. Orange praised, "The sun has suddenly drawn so close… My laundry will be done in no time. First my pole, now this? Will the miracles never cease? Maybe I ought to make some cherry cakes to offer to the sun. Come by tonight if you want some too, Snowball. No one makes better cherry cakes. They're mouth-watering good!"

Mrs. Orange leaps for joy and Amaterasu is flooded with the warmth of more praise. Satisfied, the wolf turned around and headed back to the bridge. She stopped at the foot of the wooden walkway, twitching her ears as a sweetly whistled tune reached them. She shifted her gaze to the direction it was coming from, a rice patty across the path.

The wolf lept the fence and trotted up to the young woman tending to it. She let out a short bark, and the girl noticed her. She ran up and petted Amaterasu on the head, causing the wolf to wag her tail.

"Well, what a fine looking wolf!" the girl cooed. "What's your name? Mine's Kushi. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Working on the fields again, are ya?"

Amaterasu inwardly groaned as Issun opened his mouth.

"Issun!" Kushi exclaimed, surprised. "Are you and the wolf together? This is where I grow the rice for making my sake, you know. But I have to manage the harvest all on my own. It's hard work. Maybe I should have Susano give me a hand again this year. Oh, listen to me blabbering on! I just can't help chatting to you!"

Amaterasu barked, urging her to continue. _Tell me about Susano, _she asked silently. This girl seemed to hold him in the highest esteem.

"Susano's a neighbor of mine," Kushi continued, unknowingly complying to the wolf's request. "He's a little unusual, but…" She seemed to mull over what words would best describe him. She mustn't have found nay, because her next words were more of a further explanation. "He goes around with a huge sword over his shoulder. He's always practicing with it."

_That's not unusual,_ Amaterasu thought. _He's a warrior. _The wolf tilted her head.

The next chunk of information however did surprise the goddess.

"They say he's a direct descendant of our legendary hero, Nagi."

The wolf's ears pricked. _Is he, now?_ Amaterasu decided that she wanted to meet this hero-born.

Kushi smiled and added, "and he loves his sake, too. He often pops around her to buy it."

_Yes, I'm sure it's the sake,_ Amaterasu snorted humorously.

"Make sure you say hello when you see Susano," Kushi suggested. "He could use a friend, I should think. He's always on his own."

Amaterasu barked goodbye and darted over the fence and across the bridge to the only house that could belong to a warrior descended from the great Nagi. The white wolf barked as she ran across the grass and skidded to a halt at the front door and barked again. She pricked her ears, listening for an answer or any sound of someone coming to the door. The only sound she hear was a deep, loud snoring.


End file.
